Texas Instruments TPS78925DBVR

Overview

TPS78925DBVR from Texas Instruments is a 2.5-V, 100-mA ultralow-power, low-noise LDO regulator featuring PMOS pass element architecture, 115 mV typical dropout at 100 mA, 17 µA quiescent current, and 56 µV_RMS output noise (measured on TPS78930 variant with identical noise-reduction architecture). It operates across –40°C to 125°C and is used in battery-powered portable electronics requiring stable low-noise voltage rails.

For engineers reviewing the TPS78925DBVR datasheet, TPS78925DBVR pinout, TPS78925DBVR application, or TPS78925DBVR equivalent, key selection criteria include its 2.5-V fixed output, SOT-23-5 package footprint, enable-controlled standby mode (1 µA), bypass-pin noise filtering capability, and thermal/current protection for reliable operation in space-constrained, low-power systems.

Technical Context

The TPS78925DBVR employs a PMOS pass transistor instead of conventional PNP, eliminating load-dependent drive current and enabling constant 17 µA quiescent current from 0 to 100 mA load. Its internal 150-kΩ resistor and external BYPASS capacitor form a configurable low-pass filter that reduces reference noise - critical for analog/RF subsystems.

Dropout voltage scales linearly with load (e.g., 57 mV at 50 mA, 115 mV at 100 mA), and the EN pin provides active-low logic control with ~1.5 V threshold. Built-in current limiting (~350 mA) and thermal shutdown (~165°C trip, ~140°C recovery) protect against fault conditions without external circuitry.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

TPS78925DBVR is housed in a 5-pin SOT-23 (DBV) package - 2.9 mm × 1.6 mm × 1.15 mm body, JEDEC MO-178 compliant, with gull-wing leads and RoHS-compliant NiPdAu finish. Thermal resistance R_θJA is 259 °C/W (low-K board) or 180 °C/W (high-K board).

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar low-noise, low-quiescent-current LDO applications.

Compared with TPS7A0525PDBVR and MCP1700-2502E/MB, the TPS78925DBVR uniquely balances ultralow noise (via BYPASS), low dropout (115 mV), and logic-enable control in a 5-pin SOT-23 - making it the only option among the three suitable for noise-sensitive, battery-constrained, and functionally flexible designs.

Availability

TPS78925DBVR is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for portable medical sensors, wearable health monitors, and industrial wireless sensor nodes requiring stable component supply, long-lifecycle support, and consistent parametric performance across production batches.

Supply support for TPS78925DBVR includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Texas Instruments is a global semiconductor leader specializing in analog, embedded processing, and power management technologies, with decades of LDO design expertise and broad automotive/industrial qualification.

The TPS789xx family was engineered specifically for battery-powered portable equipment - prioritizing ultralow quiescent current, low-noise regulation, and minimal board area, targeting applications like cellular handsets, PDAs, and medical telemetry.

FAQ

What is the minimum input voltage required for stable operation of the TPS78925DBVR?

The TPS78925DBVR requires a minimum input voltage of VO(typ) + 1 V = 3.5 V under recommended operating conditions. This ensures adequate headroom for the 115 mV typical dropout at 100 mA load. At lighter loads, lower input voltages may sustain regulation, but 3.5 V is the guaranteed minimum per datasheet specifications. Input below this risks dropout and output collapse.

Does the TPS78925DBVR require an external bypass capacitor, and what value is recommended?

Yes, the TPS78925DBVR requires an external ceramic capacitor on the BYPASS pin to achieve its specified 56 µV_RMS output noise performance. A 0.01 µF ceramic capacitor is recommended and validated in the datasheet for the TPS78930 variant (same architecture). Larger values slow startup due to the 150-kΩ internal resistor's RC time constant but further reduce noise bandwidth.

Can the TPS78925DBVR be used with ceramic output capacitors, and what ESR range is acceptable?

Yes, the TPS78925DBVR is stable with ceramic output capacitors provided their ESR falls between 0.2 Ω and 10 Ω. The datasheet explicitly validates multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) - though very low-ESR types (<0.2 Ω) may require a small series resistor to ensure loop stability. Minimum capacitance is 4.7 µF.

What protection features are integrated into the TPS78925DBVR?

The TPS78925DBVR integrates overcurrent limiting (~350 mA), thermal shutdown (~165°C trip), and reverse-current protection via the PMOS back-gate diode. Current limiting engages linearly to prevent damage; thermal shutdown halts operation until junction cools to ~140°C, then resumes automatically. No external components are needed for basic fault protection.

Is the TPS78925DBVR pin-compatible with other members of the TPS789xx family?

Yes, all TPS789xx variants - including TPS78915DBVR, TPS78918DBVR, TPS78925DBVR, TPS78928DBVR, and TPS78930DBVR - share identical SOT-23-5 (DBV) pinout, package dimensions, and terminal functions. Only the output voltage differs; no PCB redesign is needed when substituting within the family for voltage-scaling purposes.